Outside Jefferson City and the other cities, building permits in Cole County come from Cole County Public Works, 5055 Monticello Road (573-636-3614, weekdays 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.), which takes applications through its OpenGov portal or at a lobby computer with staff help. The county also issues building permits inside St. Martins, Centertown and Taos, and Russellville’s code uses the county’s inspector and fees. A new house costs $150 plus $0.30 for each square foot of finished living space above 1,000, so a 2,000 sq ft home is $450, and every contractor working in the unincorporated county needs a $175 annual certification.
Cole County building department: who handles permitting
Public Works runs the county’s permit program alongside its road and bridge work; the Director of Public Works is Eric Landwehr, P.E. The county’s adopted codes are still the 2000 International Building, Residential and Plumbing Codes and the 2002 National Electrical Code. Plans are required for every new residential, commercial and addition permit, and state law requires an architect’s or engineer’s sealed plans for commercial buildings, including residential buildings with more than two dwelling units. The Planning Department handles subdivision plats, subdivision variances and floodplain development permits, and the Health Department permits septic systems.
Some cities rely on the county for building permits, while Jefferson City runs its own building division. Populations are Census Bureau Vintage 2025 estimates for the part of each place in Cole County.
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →| Place | Who permits building work |
|---|---|
| Jefferson City (42,467; 22 more in Callaway County) | City Building Regulations Division, 320 E. McCarty St.; 573-634-6410; applications through the City’s GovWell portal under the 2018 International Codes |
| Wardsville (1,667) | Both the Village and Cole County: the Village tells owners to contact the Village and Cole County Public Works, its code requires a Village permit from the Zoning Inspector for new buildings and enlargements, and renewable energy systems need a county permit. Village office, 1825 Albert Place; 573-658-9974, open Wednesdays 9 a.m. to noon |
| St. Martins (1,242) | Cole County Public Works issues the building permits; the City issues its own driveway and right-of-way excavation permits. City office 573-893-6465 |
| Taos (1,175) | Building permits are filed with Cole County Public Works, and the Mayor reviews each one for the City first; the October 2026 council minutes (posted as a draft) record the Mayor approving a residential permit that the county’s list shows was filed in September 2026. City Hall, 5101 Helias Drive |
| Russellville (806) | The City Code names Cole County’s building inspector as the City’s building inspector and charges the county’s permit fee; the Planning and Zoning Commission and Board of Aldermen review building permit requests. City Hall, 13203 Railroad Ave.; 573-782-3511 |
| Centertown (292) | Cole County Public Works issues building permits and does the inspections under a 2020 agreement (Village Ordinance 193), after the Village gives written zoning approval. Village clerk 573-584-9572 |
| St. Thomas (231), Lohman (177) | The published sources do not say; ask the city |
What needs a Cole County building permit
Building permit
- New houses and multi-family buildings
- Commercial buildings
- Manufactured homes
- Additions and remodeling
- Accessory structures such as sheds, garages and in-ground pools
- Agricultural buildings, including barns, machine sheds and grain bins
Other county approvals
- Driveway permit for a new entrance onto a county road
- Right-of-way permit for any digging in a county road right-of-way
- Floodplain development permit in a FEMA floodplain
- Stormwater review for sites of 1 acre or more near Jefferson City
- Septic permit from the Health Department
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →A remodeling permit is needed when structural, plumbing or electrical work changes the building. Buildings over 10,000 sq ft need a seismic certification under state law.
Cole County building permit fees
| Permit | Fee |
|---|---|
| New house or other residential building | $150, plus $0.30 per sq ft of finished living space over 1,000 sq ft |
| Commercial building (including 3 or more dwellings) | $300, plus $0.05 per sq ft |
| Addition | Same formula, counting only the added square footage |
| Remodeling | $150 |
| Accessory structure (garage, barn, shed, pool) | $100 |
| Manufactured home | $150 |
| Electric hookup inspection not tied to an active permit | $50 |
| Driveway onto a paved / gravel county road | $50 / $25 |
| Permit renewal after the first year | $50 |
| Contractor certification (yearly) | $175 |
The county’s own examples: an 800 sq ft home pays the $150 base, a 2,000 sq ft home pays $450, and a 10,000 sq ft commercial building pays $650. The schedule lets the county review and adjust any building permit fee.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →Codes, septic, flood and stormwater rules
Jefferson City agreement: on April 7, 2026 the County Commission signed a memorandum of understanding with the City of Jefferson on adopting building codes.
Septic systems: the Cole County Health Department, 3400 W. Truman Blvd. (573-636-2181), permits septic systems under a county ordinance that is stricter than the state minimum. A new system is $400, a lagoon with septic tank $250 and a repair $150. New systems need a soil evaluation and a state-registered installer, and a lot needs at least 1 acre for a tank and drain field unless a professional engineer designs the system.
Floodplains: the county is in the National Flood Insurance Program, with maps dated November 2, 2012. Building in the 100-year floodplain or floodway needs a floodplain development permit from the Planning Department, and an elevation certificate or engineer’s no-rise certificate may be required before the building permit is issued.
Stormwater: in the unincorporated part of the Jefferson City metropolitan area mapped by the county, plus a 1-mile buffer, the county’s 2021 stormwater ordinance covers development that disturbs 1 acre or more, smaller parts of a larger development, and any work on drainage facilities.
Roads: Public Works maintains about 470 miles of county road. On May 26, 2026 the Commission approved revised rules for digging in the county right-of-way and an updated right-of-way fee schedule.
Rather not deal with the Cole County building department?
Get a free quote →How to get a Cole County building permit
Inside Jefferson City, apply to the City. In St. Martins, Centertown, Taos and the unincorporated county, start with Cole County Public Works, with the town’s approval first where it requires one; in Wardsville, contact both the Village and the county.
Apply to the Health Department for the septic permit and, in a mapped floodplain, to the Planning Department for the floodplain permit; an elevation certificate may be needed before the building permit is issued.
Each contractor needs the county’s $175 annual certification, applied for online or at Public Works.
Register on the county’s OpenGov portal and upload plans, or use the lobby computer at 5055 Monticello Road.
A new entrance onto a county road needs its own driveway permit ($50 paved, $25 gravel).
The permit lasts one year; renewing it costs $50.
Missouri building code
Missouri has no mandatory statewide building code for private construction: a county, fire protection district or municipality may adopt one (usually by reference under RSMo 67.280), and in parts of the state none has. Building codes in Missouri
Cole County permit FAQs
Who issues building permits in unincorporated Cole County?
Cole County Public Works, 5055 Monticello Road, Jefferson City (573-636-3614), through its OpenGov portal or in person.
How much is a Cole County building permit for a new house?
$150 plus $0.30 per square foot of finished living space above 1,000 sq ft: $450 for a 2,000 sq ft house.
Do I need a permit for a shed, barn or pool?
Yes. Accessory structures, including sheds, garages and in-ground pools, and agricultural buildings such as barns and grain bins all need a permit; an accessory structure permit is $100.
Which building codes does Cole County use?
The 2000 International Building, Residential and Plumbing Codes and the 2002 National Electrical Code. A proposed ordinance would move to the 2018 codes but has not been adopted.
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Does the county issue building permits inside any cities?
Yes. Cole County Public Works issues them in St. Martins, in Centertown (after Village zoning approval) and in Taos (after the Mayor’s review), and Russellville’s code uses the county’s building inspector and fees. Wardsville asks owners to contact both the Village and the county.
How much is a septic permit in Cole County?
The Health Department charges $400 for a new system, $250 for a lagoon with septic tank and $150 for a repair.
Cole County permit search and official resources
- Cole County building permits and adopted codes
- Cole County building permit fee schedule
- Cole County OpenGov permit portal
- Proposed Ordinance 2026-01 (2018 code adoption)
- Cole County driveway and right-of-way permits
- Cole County Planning Department and floodplain permits
- Cole County stormwater ordinance
- Cole County Health Department onsite wastewater permits
- FEMA Community Status Book: Missouri
- City of Jefferson building permits
- Village of Wardsville building permits and inspections
Inspections are where schedules slip.
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More Missouri permitting guides
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Read guide →This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Cole County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.